Mood swings and a two week wait of a different sort.

blkbrd3

I met with a genetics counselor and had my first trimester ultrasound screening last Wednesday. The ultrasound looked good with zero signs of abnormalities although baby is shy and also doesn't like to be still. With the information provided by the geneticist I decided to forgo screenings and jump into diagnostic testing. Per the magical all knowing charts my chance of a serious genetic abnormality is 1 in 92 pregnancies. It made sense to skip screening and jump right to testing since they recommend diagnostic testing when there's a 1/200 chance of abnormalities.

My CVS occurred on Thursday. I'd hoped I could get initial results within 24 to 48 hours. This isn't an option with the practice and lab I used. As a result I have to wait 10 to 14 days for the full results.

The wait is killing me. The mood swings, stress, and general unhappiness are a rough combination. How did you or do you navigate these times while pregnant?

After the CVS I came home and found my dog was ill. I rushed him to the vet. He has congestive heart failure. Although he has responded well to medication, it's been touch and go since. This morning I almost began to feel rational, calm and normal until I came to work and heard one of my favorite clients suddenly died. Now I've returned to feeling like I'm crying all the time.

While grief is normal, I feel as if my emotions have been amplified 1,000%. I feel completely out of control emotionally which of course inspires me to cry. Sometimes I cry when I'm not all that upset which makes my cry even more because it's ridiculous.

If you have any advice so I can get back to functioning at work without crying tons, I'm all ears. Please tell me this will pass quickly and I'll feel like me again.

Shanny

For me I was more bitchy than crying thought there was definitely some of that. It did get better after the first trimester. Looking back I think it was a pretty good trade off for not a drop of morning sickness.

I did no testing during my pregnancy so I can't really help there but I hope you get your results sooner than later!

Goobie

I was irritable with my girls, and weepy with my boys. how did I handle it? I do not know, honestly, besides just sitting down and crying. It did get better in the middle of my pregnancies, then worse again at the end.

gprime11

I also opted out of all genetic testing, so I am not much help there. Emotionally I was fne until this week. I have suddenly become a completely irrational human being full of emotional chaos and prone to hyperventilation for no good reason at 26 weeks. If I figure out a way to manage it, I'll let you know. For today it was just going home and crying it out. Last week I did the same thing and it calmed me down for about 5 days.

Storkhunting

I was/am a crier during pregnancy. For me I find it helps if I just let it out, then it's over and done and I feel a hundered precent better. I find if I try to keep myself from crying it just hovers in the background and keeps creeping out. I say go to the bathroom at work and just let it out. You will feel more normal once it is over. As for worrying, if there is nothing I can do that will change the outcome I just let it go. I accept that no matter how much I worry I don't have the power to change what will be. Good luck. I understand how awful waiting can be, right now I am waiting for a high level ultrasound of my baby boys brain, they were not able to see his cerebral ventricles on my anatomy scan so I am just praying that this stronger machine will find them and that they will be the right size.

Zen

I had an amnio at 15 weeks and was so scared for the entire wait. Given the controversy over testing, there wasn't really anyone to turn to for support -- online or in real life. I just had to get through it on my own. It was so hard. They told me it would take two weeks for the results but that they would call me if results came in sooner. Ironically, I did get a voicemail to call the office after 9 days. But when I did, no one knew why I was calling. Then I called after the 14 days had passed and found my results had come in on day 9. Arghhhhhhhhh!

The good news is that no anomalies were found. And they told me that with total certainty genetics showed the XX chromosome so my baby was most definitely a girl!

ReadytoTry

Good luck on the testing. I am sure that waiting for the results is absolute insanity. I know I would drive myself crazy.

I am super emotional all the time. I was never emotional prior to pregnancy. Now I swing between rage and weeping hysterics! I've cried over dog food commercials. I've cried over songs on the radio. A few nights ago I flew into a midnight rage because DH "stole my sheet and wanted me to freeze to death." In reality, I had kicked it off the bed. I've also been mad because DH drinks water too loud. I dunno. I'm hoping the insane emotions subside!

I usually just excuse myself when I get too insane. Play on Pinterest. It's a huge time suck and it's hard to feel too sad or mad when you're looking at pretty things!

blkbrd3

THANK YOU all for your kind comments. It has helped immeasurably to hear crying is normal for some and won't last for ever. I'm feeling better for the time being. My crying has subsided to a few 5 minute episodes per day and my witch has picked up a bit but it feels more balanced.

I'm half way through this two week wait and just completed my thirteenth week. I celebrated the beginning of the fourteenth week by sneezing twice forcefully and peeing my pants for the first of what I expect to be many times. Oh the milestones of pregnancy.